Townsend Thoresen was renamed P&O European Ferries late in 1987, following the Herald of Free Enterprise disaster, and Pride of Dover was swiftly repainted in the new company colours.

They were an evolution of the Spirit Class that preceded them and were built in the same dockyard, however, they were so large that their hulls were put together at a different shipyard to that of the construction.

In 1990 the vessel had its first major modification with the additional of the "Club Class" lounge and modified forward superstructure with a new row of windows on the deck directly beneath the bridge.

Less than a month later on 19 June 2007, whilst coming astern to berth 7 in Dover, she suffered a power failure and made heavy contact with the quay causing damage to her stern spade and resulting with the stern doors becoming unusable necessitating a visit to the ARNO shipyard in Dunkerque for repairs lasting a week.

She was replaced by the new Superferry Spirit of Britain, with a bigger capacity and almost double the gross tonnage, at 47,600 tons, the second-largest ferry to cross the channel.

On 6 November 2012, almost two years after she had been laid up, P&O Ferries announced that the Pride of Dover, with her engine damaged beyond repair, to German shipping interests.

On 29 November, she left Tilbury for Tuzla, Turkey in tow of tug Eide Fighter,[2] but was delivered to Aliağa on 27 December.